Jane Helm and Smokins Rolex Chex (TX)
Team #859: Jane Helm and Smokins Rolex Chex
From: Corpus Christi, Texas
Ages: 69 & 31
Combined Age: 100
Test: WDAA Introductory Level Test 1
I grew up in a South Texas family appreciating solid stock horses; I hardly remember a time in my childhood without horses. I recall the excitement of my first little black saddle when I was five years old, our friend cut holes in the tapaderos so my feet would sit better in the stirrup. I had a grey mare who carried me all over, including the iconic San Antonio Livestock Show trail ride; horses were a central part of my childhood. My riding lessons were those taught by the horses and through my voracious reading of horse books.
With adulthood, career, marriage, and our daughter, horses had to take a back seat. We would continue to visit the family ranch during those years to ride and love on the horses. Not surprisingly, our daughter inherited the horse bug and wanted a more regular horse relationship. I wanted her to have the foundation I missed and pursued dressage riding lessons for her. She was hooked. During this time, I played a supportive role in her horse life, as she went from galloping around trying to stay alive to successfully competing in schooling dressage shows, to competing in open all-around shows, and then all-around competition at breed shows. I also learned vicariously through her lessons that good horsemanship is good horsemanship, no matter what the discipline. We moved from the city to a few acres on the edge of town, and the horses became a part of my daily life again.
Our daughter attended Texas A&M University and loved the horse community there so much that she made it her permanent home. In 2008, she wanted to try her hand at competing in reining and purchased Smokins “Rolex” Chex, a 1994 Paint and Quarter Horse. In 2014, we purchased property in the Brazos Valley to be near our daughter. I felt then that life had come full circle, and I was blessed to be able to ride Rolex on our ranch; his forever home. He was the first horse since my youth to give me back my confidence, and he made me a better rider.
Rolex proved himself in the arena in reining, competing at APHA shows. His most memorable honor in AQHA was winning the circuit champion amateur reining award at the Reichert Celebration. Rolex’s greatest title earned was 6th place on the national honor roll in 2009 for amateur reining. Rolex has always been a delight hauling and showing, and he gave our daughter the opportunity to be competitive at breed shows. The greatest accomplishment of his lifetime is the confidence and joy he gave to the many novice riders he taught. We are so excited to be able to celebrate both a horse and a rider steeped in a lifetime of horse and human love.
Thank you to The Dressage Foundation for the honor and for recognizing Western Dressage. Thank you to Amanda Woolard, who made it happen.
